Network+ Exam Prep 2 - Softcover

Bird, Drew; Harwood, Mike

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0789732556 ISBN 13: 9780789732552

Publisher: Que Pub, 2005

Synopsis

Attention Network+ Candidates: Stop spending valuable study time sorting through confusing study aids. Network + Exam Prep 2 is the ultimate self-study guide for the Network + exam. Featuring exercises, self-assessments, study strategies, exam tips and notes, this comprehensive guide will help you understand the concepts behind the exam objectives and score better on the test.  Network + Exam Prep 2 is the smarter, more efficient way to get certified.

About this title

About the Author

Network+ Exam Prep 2About the Authors

Drew Bird (MCSE, MCNE, Network+, Linux+, Server+) has been in the IT industry since 1988. Over the years he has designed, implemented, and administered networks of all shapes and sizes. In addition to technical training and consulting assignments, Drew has authored a number of technical articles and is a frequent contributor to technology websites. Away from work, Drew enjoys most outdoor activities but is especially keen on mountain biking, kayaking, and skiing.

Mike Harwood (MCSE, A+, Network+, Server+, Linux+) has held a number of roles in the computer field, including PC repair, network management, consulting, and technical writing. Mike is also the coauthor of numerous computer books, including Network+ Prep from Que Publishing, courseware developer and a regular technology presenter for CBC Radio. When not working, Mike stays as far away from keyboards as possible.

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Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Introduction

Introduction

The CompTIA Network+ exam has become the leading introductory-level network certification available today. Network+ is recognized by both employers and industry giants such as Microsoft and Novell as providing candidates with a solid foundation of networking concepts, terminology, and skills. The Network+ exam covers a broad range of networking concepts, to prepare candidates for the technologies they are likely to be working with in today's network environments.

This book is your one-stop shop. Everything you need to know to pass the exam is in here. You do not have to take a class in addition to buying this book to pass the exam. However, depending on your personal study habits or learning style, you might benefit from buying this book and taking a class.

Exam Preps are meticulously crafted to give you the best possible learning experience for the particular characteristics of the technology covered and the actual certification exam. The instructional design implemented in the Exam Preps reflects the task- and experience-based nature of CompTIA certification exams. The Exam Preps provide the factual knowledge base you need for the exams but then take it to the next level, with exercises and exam questions that require you to engage in the analytic thinking needed to pass the Network+ exam.

CompTIA recommends that the typical candidate for this exam have a minimum of nine months experience in network support and administration. In addition, CompTIA recommends that candidates have preexisting hardware knowledge such as CompTIA A+ certification.

How This Book Helps You

This book takes you on a self-guided tour of all the areas covered by the Network+ exam and teaches you the specific skills you need to achieve your certification. The book also contains helpful hints, tips, real-world examples, and exercises, as well as references to additional study materials. Specifically, this book is set up to help you in the following ways:

• Organization—This book is organized by individual exam objectives. Every objective you need to know for the Network+ exam is covered in this book. We present the objectives in an order as close as possible to that listed by CompTIA. However, we do not hesitate to reorganize them where needed to make the material as easy as possible for you to learn. We also make the information accessible in the following ways:

• The full list of exam units and objectives is included in this introduction.

• Each chapter begins with a list of the objectives to be covered.

• Each chapter also begins with an outline that provides an overview of the material and the page numbers where particular topics can be found.

• The objectives are repeated where the material most directly relevant to it is covered.

• Instructional features—This book provides multiple ways to learn and reinforce the exam material. Following are some of the helpful methods:

• Study and Exam Tips—Read this section early on to help you develop study strategies. This section also provides valuable exam-day tips and information on exam and question formats, such as adaptive tests and case study-based questions.

• Objective explanations—As mentioned previously, each chapter begins with a list of the objectives covered in the chapter. In addition, immediately following each objective is an explanation of the objective, in a context that defines it meaningfully.

• Study strategies—The beginning of each chapter also includes strategies for studying and retention of the material in the chapter, particularly as it is addressed on the exam, but also in ways that will benefit you on the job.

• Exam Alerts—These provide specific exam-related advice. Such tips might address what material is covered (or not covered) on the exam, how it is covered, mnemonic devices, or particular quirks of that exam.

• Review breaks and summaries—Crucial information is summarized at various points in the book in lists or tables. Each chapter ends with a summary as well.

• Key terms—A list of key terms appears at the end of each chapter.

• Notes—Notes contain various kinds of useful or practical information such as tips on technology or administrative practices, historical background on terms and technologies, or side commentary on industry issues.

• Warnings—When using sophisticated information technology, there is always the potential for mistakes or even catastrophes to occur because of improper application of the technology. Warnings alert you to such potential problems.

• In the Field sidebars—These relatively extensive discussions cover material that might not be directly relevant to the exam but that is useful as reference material or in everyday practice. In the Field sidebars also provide useful background or contextual information necessary for understanding the larger topic under consideration.

• Exercises—Found at the end of the chapters in the "Apply Your Knowledge" section and in the "Challenge Exercises" found throughout chapters, exercises are performance-based opportunities for you to learn and assess your knowledge.

• Extensive practice test options—The book provides numerous opportunities for you to assess your knowledge and practice for the exam. The practice options include the following:

• Exam questions—These questions appear in the "Apply Your Knowledge" section. You can use them to help determine what you know and what you need to review or study further. Answers and explanations for these questions are provided in a separate section, titled "Answers to Exam Questions."

• Practice exam—A practice exam is included in the "Final Review" section of the book. The "Final Review" section and the practice exam are discussed later in this Introduction.

• MeasureUp—A CD from MeasureUp is included, and it offers even more practice questions for your study.

• Final Review—This part of the book provides two valuable tools for preparing for the exam:

• Fast Facts—This condensed version of the information contained in the book is useful for last-minute review.

• Practice Exam—A practice test is included. Questions on this practice exam are written in styles similar to those used on the actual exam. Use the practice exam to assess your readiness for the real thing. Use the extensive answer explanations to improve your retention and understanding of the material.

The book includes several other features, such as a "Suggested Readings and Resources" section at the end of each chapter that directs you to additional information that can aid you in your exam preparation and your real-life work. Valuable appendixes are provided as well, including a glossary and a description of what is on the CD-ROM (Appendix A).

For more information about the exam or the certification process, refer to the CompTIA website, at http://www.comptia.org/certification.

Network Hardware and Software Requirements

As a self-paced study guide, Network+ Exam Prep 2 is meant to help you understand concepts that must be refined through hands-on experience. To make the most of your studying, you need to have as much background on and experience with both common operating systems and network environments as possible. The best way to do this is to combine studying with work on actual networks. These networks need not be complex; the concepts involved in configuring a network with only a few computers follow the same principles as those involved in configuring a network that has hundreds of connected systems. This section describes the recommended requirements you need to form a solid practice environment.

To fully practice some of the exam objectives, you need to create a network...

About this edition

• Publisher: Que Pub
• Publication date: 2005
• ISBN 10: 0789732556
• ISBN 13: 9780789732552
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 836